McDonald's has seriously come a long way since I was a child. All of my childhood birthday parties were held at McDonald's and it was pretty much a kid's dream come true--Endless chicken McNuggets, salty fries, soda, and cake.

It has only been two weeks since I arrived in Paris and the internet has not been installed in my apartment. So, I have been relying on the generosity of McDonald’s free Wi-Fi. Thank you, McDonald’s.

In 1954, Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's, set out to create an empire that featured “quality, service, cleanliness, and value." Today, as we all know, the fast food chain can be found all over the world. But, it's not the McDonald's we all remember. Most of the menu options may be the same, but the decor has changed quite a bit. In Paris, McDonald’s is quite chic for fast food.

The modern lounge space resembles a boutique hotel lobby rather than a typical fast food restaurant where the ultimate goal is to eat-and-run.

McDonald’s lounge area is designed with wide leather chairs and sleek low tables. The space encourages long chats with friends over coffee and dessert.

Autumnal browns, creams, and rusts is the consistent color theme, while the design concept stays consistent and fresh throughout the whole dining space with sleek communal tables, bar areas, and larger corner booths. I was happy to order a latte and sit down to check email.

While you are there, the cafe has a full menu of decadent petite deserts--a muffin chocolat, crumble pom fruits rouges, and a mousse aux 3 chocolats. They even offer a healthy selection of macaroons--a personal favorite of mine.

The fast food chain can be a bit noisy, but who can resist the free Wi-Fi, classic chicken McNuggets (a personal favorite of mine from childhood) and decadent desserts.

I have to admit, the McDonald’s team makes a pretty decent café au lait.

My local slice of Americana with a dash of modern European design is located on Ave. Emile Zola in the 15th Arrondissment, but you can find a McDonald’s in just about every area of Paris.